General Question

What do you make of the undocumented immigrants being flown into San Diego?

I don’t want to voice my opinion. I live here. Ok wait nevermind I will voice my opinion, as a citizen of this city I have met several back of the house workers in restaurants who are Mexican decent, and they are extremely hard workers and ask no questions and I would even argue they are thee backbone of the restaurant industry in California and most of the South West.

People say they are unskilled and become criminals, I just do not see that the case at all. People say they take Americans jobs… Well they get paid the same rate if not more than citizens who are applying and seem to do a better job from what I’ve seen.

They are quick in the kitchen, they learn fast, they take the heat, they wash the dishes they don’t talk back. These are classic hard working human beings who hustle hard. Hell they don’t live out of their means either.

Here is a great quote by one of my friends and ex coworker. “Why you stress cabrone? Me? I don’t have time to stress, always looking for work, always looking for the money. Stress is for lazy people cabrone.”

I won’t deny the fact though that the recent news seems to be a bit chaotic and they seem to be coming through the borders swiftly. Why hasn’t there been a filter system for even the poor citizens of Mexico to apply for a Visa? I hear it’s near impossible to qualify.

34 Answers

I lived in S.D. for years when I was younger and will never forget the all night Robertos, ( Humbertos, Jillbertos, Adalbertos, haha ) across the street from my apartment. BEST freaking mexican food ever, especially at 3 a.m. after a party night. I have no issue with immigrants but do think they should become citizens. That said my only issue is the government assistance many get without becoming citizens.

I don’t know enough about all the immigration ins & outs to know about obtaining Visas.

@Darth_Algar Well, as I said, I have limited knowledge of immigration protocol, but…I do not agree with non-citizens being able to work and/or capitalize on government programs if they are non-citizens.

We can’t just let all these kids pour into our country. I really feel for anyone who lives in poverty and desperate conditions. I also have very positive experiences with Mexican people, they work hard, oh and my husband is Mexican. I doubt all the people coming over the border are Mexican, all we know is they are coming across the Mexican border. Probably most are, but not necessarily all. I do feel America is a place for the tired the poor and the huddled masses, but this is out of control. I think we should send them back. Mexico would send them back. Mexico is a free country and a democracy. They could get their shit together if they would level wages, pay more taxes, and crack down on the corruption. At least that is how I see it. We take in their poor so their rich stay rich? What about our poor? I really would prefer to ut pressure on other countries to do the right thing, but of course America is part of the problem, because we like paying low wages to Mexican factories. Oy, it’s complicated, but we can’t just take in all these kids.

@Darth_Algar They apply legally for citizenship before they immigrate, get their green cards and then they find work. I have zero issue with whoever wants to come into this country but when illegal immigrants suck on the government tit it’s a drain that should not be allowed to happen. I’m a middle aged white woman that has lost everything in the economic shitstorm this past handful of years. Model
citizen” for decades, tax payer and I qualify for zero government benefits but if I were pregnant, had little kids, or was an illegal I’d be raking in the government bennies. Pfft!

I cannot agree with amnesty for illegal immigration. Like everything else it’s not so black and white though. They’re desperate and it is some of our foreign policy and corporate corruption that drives many of them here. Can we blame them when we leave our border wide open and make it easy for them? The solutions are not obvious or easy. While most are good hard working people some are not. They are being widely taken advantage of by businesses. I have seen it first hand. Some of them take unfair advantage of our social programs. It’s all wrong on so many levels.

Amnesty for those who have been here 10+ years I actually do support. The government purposely turns a blind eye to many of the illegal immigrants who have been here for years. Business wants the government not to look, and in some communities the ilegal immigrants are a significant part of the workforce that is not displacing citizens from getting jobs. Some places they are displacing people legal to work, but some not. Someone who basically has established their life here, especially children who came here as very young children, should be given a path to be legal in this coutry. The children pouring in now are a different story.

@pleiades unfortunately for you I am not surprised you believe what you do. The Media and the Democrat pundits seem to be doing a fine job lying.

President Bush signed a bill for children who arrive in this country due to “Child Sexual Trafficking” to be able to have a hearing and stay if they qualify. Not every kid who has sneaked across the border is here due to “childhood sexual trafficking.

@BeenThereSaidThat Why do you always put people into boxes? Why are you worrying about political sides? It looks as though @pleiades is talking about his/her personal experience, not what the media and democrats have told him.

@Darth_Algar Yes, but….like any country one must obtain a visitor/work visa and other documentation/permission to come aboard, so to speak. If one is is entering the country legally with all necessary documentation intact that is one thing, but I still don’t agree with illegals being able to obtain benefits before they are full citizens. Charity begins at home and every country needs to make their own residents the priority first.

@Coloma“Yes, but….like any country one must obtain a visitor/work visa and other documentation/permission to come aboard, so to speak.”

Yes. Did I say otherwise?

” If one is is entering the country legally with all necessary documentation intact that is one thing, but I still don’t agree with illegals being able to obtain benefits before they are full citizens.”

So, again, how would one support themself if they are not allowed to work before becoming a citizen?

@Darth_Algar They don’t. Period. Unless they have a work visa. I don’t think I can be any more clear. Illegals should be deported if they do not have legal documentation to work in another country. In the current economic climate they are taking away jobs that could be given to citizens and, they are also often exploited. A lose/lose situation.

You were not clear at all. If anything your posts indicate utter confusion on the issue. You stated that non-citizens should not be allowed to work. I asked how then do they support themselves. You said they apply for citizenship before immigrating (which is not possible under US law). It’s only now that you say “work visa”.

@Darth_Algar I think what @Coloma is trying to say, and she can correct me if I am wrong, is if they are illegal she does not want them to be able to work or collect any benefits through social services. I don’t know if she is including education for the children. If they have a working permit or some sort of legal status then she is fine with them working from what I can tell.

She just is not using all the terms well. She is throwing around the word citizen like it is synonomous to being legal and it isnt synonomous. Basically, foreigners can be one of the following listed below:

1. Tourists (which does not allow the person to work).
2. Legal but unable to work (many spouses of expats and people with student visas have this status).
3. Legal with a work permit or green card and able to work.
4. Or, full fledged citizens (which does not happen right away).
5. Or, illegal.

Some benefits even green card holders can’t get, although they do get almost everything citizens do.

I remember on more than one occasion, being in the supermarket and seeing people with food stamps or WIC, buying organic tea bags and things that I would not normally buy because I can’t afford, and feeling resentful when I see foreigners pull out their WIC card or food stamp card. Just my opinion – I felt resentful, that’s all. I’m not eligible, but they came here from elsewhere and they’re eligible.

Probably America needs to really evaluate our policy on Jus Soli (right of citizenship for being born here) and also eligibility of social services for non citizens, even if they are here legally. Do illegal people actually get social services? I don’t think so. But, it was pointed out to me once in fluther, which I had not understood before, that their children born here get services, which can include food stamps, so by default the adult is basically getting government money.

@JLeslie: That was me saying it about Social Services. Yes, the kids get food stamps, Medicaid, housing, cash, etc. But pregnant women get Medicaid based on the unborn and they probably get follow up, plus there are clinics with sliding scale fees, so if you’re (on the books) income is nil, your sliding scale fee would be minimal.

@BeenThereSaidThat Fact, I used to study journalism, so I’m quite adept to finding my own quality sources (I use this site for fun, and I no longer qualify myself as a journalist) Fact, I live in San Diego where this whole mess is going down. Fact, I not once said whether or not they should stay or not. Fact, did you even read the description? That wasn’t a story in there, that was taken on account of my own personal life, with my own experiences from working in a goddamned restaurant in the United States of America believe it or not!

It had nothing to do with the, “Liberal Media.” I reported that fact here, I reported those memories here. Stop being so paranoid, take a step into another persons shoe for once in your life. (And not literally at that but figuratively)

@pleiades First of all I was not even commenting on your “life story”. I simple responded to your snippy comment about President Bush that you posted to me only. which was I’m sure meant to start something with me. CHILD SEXUAL TRAFFICKING.

Frankly I didn’t even read all your long drawn out comments that I guess you made to others or the long drawn out question. You called me out and I answered. simple as that.

You don’t know anything about me or my life experiences. And frankly, I really don’t care to know anything about yours. You asked a question and I answered it with my opinion. answer number eight and only two short sentences.